Monday, June 15, 2026

Journey 349 ~Braxton, Virgil, Soft Paws~

Hey Dad,
It’s me, Baby B. Did you have a good day? Good day? Seeing an all-too-familiar scene, I would say not. Are there differences?

I’d be at my post… Left side at the foot of the bed. “Staring at the world through my rearview.” Eyes in the back of my head, right, Dad? And my little brother? Bless Virgil.

Conked out on the right side at the foot of the bed. Dreaming his life away like father like son. Or maybe he understands something. I served you as best as I could—little princes.

I protected your outer world for the most part. Emotional, yeah. It’s one of the promises you told Virgil, and I’s potential future stepmom. “I Feel Everything.” Because with me.

Yeah, INDIFFERENCE you’re always saying. Those final days before I… Well, you were so mad. RAGE. And you wanted to keep me safe… From you…

“Pinch me, pinch me
‘Cause I’m still asleep
Please, God, tell me
That I’m still asleep.”
Barenaked Ladies ‧ 2000

You aren’t a monster. Definitely not MAGA. FDT! You’re “Just A Man,” “Human,” an “Ordinary Human.” More. You are my father, my Dad, my Old Man. Same for my bro.

And M Anime? Dad, I was a bachelor for life, but you promised Virgil a mom and me and siblings… Don’t need to know how they’re made, eww! But you chose her, and she chose you. And she sees what your “Princes of the Universe” do every single day, Dad.

But like us, you’re afraid of hurting her too. Do you remember that movie night when my favorite girl was here? Yeah, which one? Because she was the only one I ever just let in.

Yeah, I know after six months, being a hard ass.

You didn’t think twice about showing her that certain video you sent me out of the room for. “Of Inner …” Do you think you could share something like that with M Anime? That’s why it isn’t love yet… Because as strong as Virgil and I are. You worry, Dad.

You think 2-V needs to see a veterinarian soon. You worry that anything could happen.

And as much as my potential stepmom promises… I don’t think you’d need the gate to keep V and me away. But again, you fear her seeing everything. Hearing. Understanding.

What’s there to understand? Okay lots. You treat us with soft paws. You pause. Dad.

Papi… I don’t want to know. Why do you hate yourself? Braxton, Virgil, Soft Paws

“Invincible, Impenetrable, Invisible no longer applied to me. I adopted three new things: Resurrection. Redemption. Resolution. All my life, I’d been a pawn. But not anymore. I was a provider, lover, father, and friend.”
Destroyed

“Unhappy boy, if you can break through cruel fate…”
Aeneid

1961 Days Without B III, Day 1402 of Virgil’s Arrival

Always and Forever,
Your Son

Monday, June 8, 2026

Journey 342 ~Plan-B To Step V~

Hey Dad,
It’s me, Baby B. Did you have a good day? Have you counted the steps yet? If you ever knew I’d sit down.

Just right in your lap, Dad. You know I hated sitting on the floor as much as you hated walking across it. And anytime you returned to me, you were exhausted, screaming “egad,” and had had enough of this life. So not one more step. You lay down, and I would watch from my spot. Not one fear, failure, or effing anything entered our sanctuary.

LANGUAGE! I hear you, Dad. But you know I had to bark loudly. You were Plan-A. And seeing how this world worked well… Plan-B. I have nothing but faith in you, Dad. And I don’t think Virgil and I’s potential stepmom will ever worry about Plan-B. She wants to give us siblings in the worst way. I mean eww, Dad!

“Pinch me, pinch me
‘Cause I’m still asleep
Please, God, tell me
That I’m still asleep.”
Barenaked Ladies ‧ 2000

At least I don’t need to worry about her calling you Daddy. English, Braxton, and she speaks Spanish. All “Si, Papi”! But for my sake, let’s stop talking about you and her. She does know if you have a son, you’re naming him after me and making him… please, Dad.

What am I asking you for today? I figure today is as good a time as any, seeing M Anime.

Well, she asked you for a list of… Uh, uh, not going there again! But she asked you for something, and you got on your feet. How you hated that. But you got up working; and why you worry about the floor bursting beneath your feet, cans of bug spray, and going bust. That FEAR!

The GREAT FEAR! Well, it ain’t cannibalism. What would the potential stepmom think about that, Dad? “Well, don’t let me smell fear on you. Fear is for the enemy.” Daddy…

I swear sometimes “That B*tch” scares me. It’s why I know she’ll fight alongside you.

Honestly, LANGUAGE! You didn’t call her that. I did. You find the weirdest “people” to fall in love with you. I include myself in this. Eclectic, WOKE, DEI coalition, Daddy.

Always eff MAGA and FDT. Seriously, now I can bark it… (Gives you The Look). Anyway, I didn’t give you a “Death Sentence”. Stepmom didn’t give you a life sentence.

Like every word we speak, see, like steps. Dad, One Foot in Front of the Other. Plan-B To Step V

“And that’s why you’ll be leaving me soon. You’re too perfect for this world. Too precious. You’ll be called to somewhere much better than here.”
― Destroyed by Pepper Winters

“The way is open.”
Aeneid

1954 Days Without B III, Day 1395 of Virgil’s Arrival

Always and Forever,
Your Son

Monday, June 1, 2026

Journey 335 ~Don’t B ROMAN Virgil~

Hey Dad,
It’s me, Baby B. Did you have a good day? Good day? It’s a hot one. If I were there or M Anime.

No Dad, I’m not going to rag on you about my little brother. Virgil and I are southern men. Southern men that you raised, fur and all. Sons of the great sorcerer Will, we know. The story that came up that you’re writing, or shadow work, our potential stepmom says.

How much longer will you keep thinking of her as such? This morning you and she were talking about having babies. Can’t say I remember meeting many—my aunt’s baby. However, you weren’t there during those times. Why? You’re you, right? I know you, Dad.

And I love you. Always and forever. A promise to me, my brother, Virgil Vivi. Who knows, you’ll be singing “Maybe someday. You and me can run away” to stepmom.

“Pinch me, pinch me
‘Cause I’m still asleep
Please, God, tell me
That I’m still asleep.”
Barenaked Ladies ‧ 2000

All “Hey Juliet”! But you want her because of who she is. The woman that you see. Like you see me. Like you see Virgil. No a/c and all you care for him as you care for all of us

And why is that? I couldn’t live forever as much as we both wanted… But we’re working on that, aren’t we, my father… And when it comes to V and I’s stepmom, for real, Dad.

“I can do this all day.”
Steve Rogers, Captain America

You’d say that if you were only talking about her yabbos. And didn’t you say to her once upon a time… “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” As in your eyes, what is she, Dad? “If there’s somebody calling me on, She’s the one.” I share the sentiment.

Or I will someday about the woman you’ve chosen. The brother I was blessed with.

However, we are what we are, my father. For example, Virgil was a Roman Poet. There’s no changing that. Dante wrote of Virgil guiding him through Hell. My brother tries… Still, on days like today, he doesn’t like to roam far away from you. If he were more of a barker, he might belt out, ” I can’t stand “The Rain” against my window. “

Honestly, poor you. Dad, when will you see the man we all see? You’re everything.

EVERYTHING! But you like playing “The Seeker”. And if I had to pick out what you are to me. Again, we’ll both be Captain America. Stay. Don’t B ROMAN Virgil

What would hell be like? Would I survive more unhappiness?
― Destroyed by Pepper Winters

I sing of arms and of a man: his fate had made him fugitive
Aeneid

1947 Days Without B III, Day 1388 of Virgil’s Arrival

Always and Forever,
Your Son